<p>The fin aid office sent an email asking to fill out the CSS profile, is this for all applicants or just for fin aid, because we don't qualify for fin aid.</p>
<p>SCU requires that the finaid forms be filled out for ALL aid including merit aid…at least they did when DD applied in 2006.</p>
<p>SCU changed it this year. In the email reply to DD, they said FAFSA & CSS Profile is NOT a requirement to be considered for Merit Aid.</p>
<p>no kidding! A_mom, that was so smart of your daughter to send an email asking about merit aid.<br>
I’ll have mine do the same, as we don’t qualify for any need based aid, either.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the heads- up.</p>
<p>Karen, this is whole body of the email.<br>
</p>
<p>I’m aware that SCU had been requiring Profile for merit-aid til last year since I have a collection of previous years brochure and remember I read that requirement last year on its website. This year, I couldn’t find the same wording for “merit-aid requirement” in its FinAid website. The finaid post card reminder does NOT spell out the “merit-aid requirement” either. So I asked DD to send an email to ask if she needs to fill out profile to be considered for merit-aid since we’re not qualified for need-aid.</p>
<p>I’m actually curious what triggered the change this year. I do remember they have a new VP of enrollment management joined during summer.</p>
<p>Glad to hear that the Profile and FAFSA are no longer required for merit aid. DD’s “need based” grant, we were told, was a combined merit/need award. I have to assume that is true as she no longer qualifies for need based aid (brother is no longer in college…).</p>
<p>That enrollment manager’s job must be a “revolving door”. The fellow who was in that role when my DD applied was not there when she enrolled (too bad because she wanted to thank him for his kind words during the application process). Someone else assumed that role and it sounds like now a new someone else is there. Yikes. </p>
<p>The Profile and Fafsa were required even for continuing receipt of merit and need based awards. The enrollment manager would have his hand in the “freshman” issue but not continuing students. </p>
<p>Glad this policy changed. My guess is the looked at what other schools were doing. DS attended Boston University and they also no longer require the Profile and FAFSA for RENEWAL of merit aid, but DO still require it for incoming freshmen.</p>
<p>I suspect they have been losing applicants who got offers of merit aid from other schools. 3 years ago, S got several offers of aid from some So.Cal schools, without filing any forms.</p>
<p>Karen…perhaps they did lose some applicants but their application numbers AND their yield have increased nevertheless. In fact, they have been much more cautious about offers of acceptance due to overenrolled classes and not enough dorm space at least one year.</p>
<p>But we got an email asking us to fill out the CSS profile!</p>
<p>Pixel…then send them an email and explain that you will NOT be seeking any kind of need based aid. See what they say.</p>
<p>I’ll admit,the ‘courtesy reminder’ emails were a little confusing, but when I looked back at the first email from the admissions office, it says :
"… if you wish to be considered for need-based financial aid, please submit the CSS/PROFILE form by November 15…</p>
<p>An inquiry email to the fin. aid office got a very clear and quick response. Thanks again for the heads up a_mom. (Funny how it didn’t occur to us to ask the fin. aid office directly until you mentioned it!)</p>
<p>My son received merit money last year from SCU and we did not complete the CSS/Profile or FAFSA, so the change is not new this year. Merit money is not based on financial need, it is based on academic excellence. </p>
<p>This book [Amazon.com:</a> The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price (9780132365703): Lynn O’Shaughnessy: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0132365707?ie=UTF8&tag=asly-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0132365707]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0132365707?ie=UTF8&tag=asly-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0132365707) and Lynn’s blog [The</a> College Solution Blog by Lynn O’Shaughnessy](<a href=“http://thecollegesolutionblog.com/]The”>http://thecollegesolutionblog.com/) have great information on merit aid.</p>
<p>jdcpenner, thank you so much for chime in. It’s a relief to know your result of last year.</p>
<p>And thanks for the links.</p>
<p>This is a courtesy reminder from the Financial Aid Office at Santa Clara University regarding the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application. The priority deadline for the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE is November 15, 2009 for Early Action applicants…</p>
<p>This is what we got and thought it was not 100% clear about which aid they were talking about. I posted this question on one of the other forums and got to know that CSS is what colleges look at to give merit aid. Oh well!</p>